1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of cooking appliances and, more particularly, to an oven vent system that eliminates smoke from gases produced in the oven during a cooking operation.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Cooking appliances that cook a food item arranged within an oven cavity through various heating techniques, such as radiant, conduction and/or convection techniques, are known. During a cooking operation, the generated heat impinges upon the food item resulting in both the cooking of the food item and the production of oven gases laden with combustion byproducts. The byproducts of combustion typically transform into smoke that is carried by the oven gases through an exhaust system. If the exhaust system is not directed outdoors, the smoke can accumulate in areas of a home where the appliance is located. In addition, the byproducts of combustion can adhere to inner portions of the exhaust system, resulting in a degradation in performance.
In recognition of this problem, manufacturers have developed several techniques to eliminate byproducts of combustion from the oven gases. In some cases, the oven gases are directed past a ceramic catalyst. The ceramic catalyst is heated by the appliance to a temperature such that the combustion byproducts are exposed to an additional combustion process. The additional combustion process lowers the level of byproducts carried in the oven gases. In this manner, the resulting smoke produced by the combustion byproducts is reduced. In other cases, the oven gases are directed through ducts that are arranged in close proximity to the oven cavity. The close proximity to the oven cavity raises an internal temperature of the ducts. In a manner similar to that described above, the combustion byproducts that pass through the heated ducts are exposed to an additional combustion process which results in a reduction in smoke output by the appliance.
Regardless of the method employed, there still exists an amount of combustion byproducts in the oven gases that can produce smoke. Smoke laden oven gases that enter into habitable spaces of a home can become an irritant. Additionally, smoke can also discolor areas that are adjacent to the cooking appliance. Therefore, there still exists a need for a vent system for a cooking appliance that can more effectively reduce combustion byproducts from oven gases. More specifically, there exists a need for an exhaust system that will reduce combustion byproducts to a level that will almost completely eliminate any smoke that may exit the cooking appliance into habitable areas of a home.